Aquarian Age Stories for Children
A Garden Fantasy
by
Maude H. Wilkinson
The Moon came slowly up over the hill and
looked down on a mass of gaily colored flowers which were growing in an
old-fashioned garden.
When the Moon saw the Blue Dragon-fly, for whom she was looking,
her round face beamed brighter, and she said: "Blue Dragon-fly, it is time
to get up."
Blue Dragon-fly was asleep in the heart of Pink-rose, but when
the Moon spoke to him, he moved his wings a little, and went to sleep again.
"Is that the way you behave when I take the trouble to call
you?" chuckled the Moon, as she looked at her dainty little friend of whom
she was very fond. "I must make a brighter light and see if that will rouse
you," she added as she sent a stronger ray to him.
Blue Dragon-fly opened one eye; closed it again, and went back
to sleep.
The Moon looked very much puzzled and said: "Dear me, I
wonder if there is anything the matter with him? He usually gets up at once when
I call him."
"No, he is all right," replied Pink-rose, in whose
heart Blue Dragon-fly was sleeping. "I wished him to stay here, so I have
given him a large dose of perfume to make him sleep for a long time; then when I
waken him, lie will have forgotten all about his work, and will stay with me. So
please go away and leave us alone."
Pink-rose drew herself together in such a way that the Moon saw
it was of no use to argue with her, for the little rose had folded her soft
petals round Blue Dragon-fly like a curtain, which completely hid him from view.
"Well, well," mused the Moon to herself, "of
course I do not blame Pink-rose for loving the little fellow, for we all do, but
that is no reason why she should wish to keep him all to herself. I had no idea
Pink-rose was so selfish. Anyway, seeing that Blue Dragon-fly asked me to awaken
him, I must do so, and see that he goes to his work; but how shall I do
it?"
The Moon remained quiet for a few minutes, wondering who might
be able to help her. Then her eyes turned in the direction of a small village a
short distance away.
"Hello, Breezie," she said, addressing a small puff of
wind, "I see you are at your pranks as usual."
"Yes," replied Breezie laughing, "I am trying to
blow this old man's hat off. Look!" and he gave a sharp puff that nearly
did the trick. However, the old man was too quick for him, and caught his hat in
time.
But Breezie was a persistent little fellow, and always liked to
have his own way. He laughed and said: "Good for you, old fellow, but I
shall get your hat yet." So after waiting a few seconds Breezie gave
another unexpected puff; but again, the old man was too quick for him, and the
wind did not get his hat.
After watching him a few minutes, the Moon whispered
mysteriously: "Breezie, I know someone with whom you can have a better
time."
"Indeed," replied Breezie, turning to the Moon for a
moment. "I think that is hardly possible, for I am having a wonderful time
right here."
Then the Moon beamed brighter, for she saw something that
Breezie did not see. Just then the old man went up the steps leading to a large
house, opened the door, and went in.
Now the Moon loves a joke, and a merry twinkle crept into her
eyes as she remarked: "Perhaps you had better remain here, for you
certainly are having great fun. I shall find your cousin instead."
Breezie turned a somersault as he replied: "Yes, I think so
too, but thanks for the offer. Good-bye," he called, as he blew round to
continue his pranks. When he saw the old man was not there, he became very
boisterous, and roared: "Shivering icicles, here has he gone?"
"Behind that green door at the top of those steps,"
said the Moon with an unusually sweet smile. "Now you can come with
me."
Breezie twisted and turned for a few seconds, in a very bad
mood, but seeing nothing could be done, he burst out laughing and replied:
"It is all right with me. Now I am ready to give someone the best teasing
he ever had," and he gave several more wild twists and turns.
"That is good," said the Moon, "I want you to
waken Blue Dragon-fly, to whom Pink-rose has given an over-dose of perfume. You
must creep around him and make him shiver. Then maybe his soft couch will not
seem quite so comfortable. He lives a few miles from here in Mrs. Brown 's
garden; I am sure you have been there many times."
Breezie shook with laughter as he said: "Indeed I have. I
had a great time last winter teasing that nice fat old lady. I am only too glad
to have an excuse to go there again, and renew our acquaintance. I will be there
in a few minutes."
"Very good," said the Moon, as she turned toward the
garden. A few seconds later Breezie blew in, full of mischief, and went from one
flower to the other calling: "Blue Dragon-fly, where are you?"
The Moon watched Breezie's wild capers for a few minutes, and
then said: "It is quite possible I can tell you where Blue Dragon-fly
is."
"Of course you can," Breezie replied, as he danced
lightly round a rose, "but I do not want you to tell me, for I am having a
splendid game of hide and seek." Then he bounded off to another rose which
he shook quite roughly, saying: "Is Blue Dragon-fly's perfumed couch hidden
in your heart, Regal-rose?"
"No, Blue Dragon-fly did not favor me with his company. Go
your way, you are disturbing my petals," Regal-rose replied in a peevish
tone.
"My dear," Breezie whispered in a tantalizing way,
"you look far more attractive when you are slightly ruffled. I really must
loosen your petals a little more," and he gave her another playful shake.
"Go away, you rude fellow, or I shall prick you," said
Regal-rose with a toss of her head.
"My dear, your prickly temper cannot hurt me. In fact, the
more you prick me, the better I like it, for then I want to go on teasing
you," and Breezie shook her so hard, that her silly dignity fell from her.
Breezie danced merrily round Regal-rose saying: "Now you
look more like a regal rose. But I must go, for if I stayed with you, I might
like you too well, and it would never do for Breezie to fall in love with
anyone. Good-bye, my dear," Breezie called airily as he blew off to
continue his pranks somewhere else.
"What a wild little fellow he is," thought the Moon.
It may be a long time before he finds Blue Dragon-fly; perhaps it was not the
wisest thing to have brought him here. There is no telling what damage he may
do. I wonder what I had better do?"
The Moon looked around the garden hoping to find a solution to
her problem. Suddenly she caught sight of the garden lawyer, Brown Owl, standing
at the door of his house in the hollow stump of an old oak tree.
"Why of course he is the one to give me advice,"
thought the Moon. Then she called: "Brown Owl, I wonder if you can spare me
a few minutes of your valuable time on a matter of great importance ?"
Brown Owl drew himself up with great dignity and blinking his
eyes several times by way of a bow, replied slowly: "I am always glad to be
of service to you, Madam Moon. What is the trouble ?"
"Thank you," said the Moon, "I felt sure you
could help me. A terrible thing has happened. Blue Dragon-fly has been drugged
by Pink-rose, who has suddenly turned very selfish and wishes to keep him to
herself. She has locked him up in her heart and keeps him asleep with her
perfume."
The owl settled himself comfortably, and fixing his large round
eyes thoughtfully on the Moon remarked: "You did quite right in coming to
me; this is a very serious matter, and will need much careful thought. I am the
one to handle such a delicate affair. Please go away; I must be alone to
deliberate over the case quietly and carefully."
Knowing that Brown Owl prided himself on his "slow but
sure" method of thinking, the Moon after thanking him added most
emphatically: "Blue Dragon-fly has most important work to do, and must be
awakened within the next half-hour."
Drawing himself up a little straighter, the Owl remarked:
"Please do not try to hurry me, for it is against my nature to think a
matter over quickly. I am sure Blue Dragon-fly did not take time to think,
before he entered Pink-rose's heart. I have often told him he was too hasty, and
I ...."
Once started on that subject, the owl would go on for hours, if
he could get anyone to listen, and realizing that time was precious. the Moon
hastened to interrupt him; "Yes, I know how you feel on that subject, Brown
Owl, but I repeat, that if you do not find a solution of the problem in thirty
minutes, your thinking will have been of no use," and she turned away quite
annoyed.
With a look of mournful wonder in his big yellow eyes, the owl
slowly shook his head and sedately entered his house to ponder over the matter
in his own way.
Just then the Moon caught sight of Honey-bee, whom she was
amazed to see about at that hour.
"What on earth are you doing out of your hive,
Honey-bee?" called the Moon. "All good bees should be at home this
time of night."
"Hush," whispered Honey-bee. "Please do not speak
so loud. I know what you say is true, but I am so tired of making honey that I
am playing hookey."
Looking very serious, the Moon remarked: "What would happen
if Mother Nature saw you?"
"Oh, please do not mention it to her," pleaded
Honey-bee, looking around nervously.
The Moon smiled, saying: "I never tell tales, unless I am
obliged to. But probably it is a good thing you did leave the hive, for I need
someone to help me, and perhaps you will do."
"Yes, indeed, if I can help you in any way, I shall be glad
to do it," replied Honey-bee, very much relieved.
Then the Moon told her about Blue Dragon-fly, adding: "If
you could get inside Pink-rose 's petals, and buzz loud enough, I believe you
could awaken him."
"Dear me," the little bee replied flippantly,
"what strange creatures roses are; you never know what they are going to do
next. We certainly must do something at once. The situation needs quick action
and thought, and I am the one to do it. I shall fly right over and demand that
Pink-rose release Blue Dragon-fly at once. If she refuses I shall tell her that
no bee will ever visit her again, and that will be a great disgrace." And
off she flew.
The Moon watched her go with a look of despair.
"I am sure she will never succeed," mused the Moon
sadly. "Honey-bee acts too quickly, and the Owl too slowly; what a pity
they cannot be put in a bag and shaken up together. There is only one thing to
do; I must try and find someone else to help me."
After a moment 's thought, her round face beamed with pleasure.
"How stupid of me, to have wasted all this precious
time," she exclaimed. "Why did I not think of Love-bird? He is the
very one to help me. He is always so charming, and has such coaxing ways with
him, that he does more to keep the garden in order than anyone else."
Turning her bright rays on the slender drooping branches of a
beautiful weeping-willow tree in the corner of the garden, the Moon called
softly: "Love-bird, I am sorry to disturb you, but there is a serious
matter which needs straightening out; you have always been so good in helping us
when things went wrong, that I felt I must come to you."
Love-bird looked up at the Moon, and replied in a soft, happy
little voice: "You know, Madam Moon, there is nothing I really enjoy better
than unraveling tangles; tell me all about it."
As Love-bird listened, a sad look crept into his eyes, and
putting his head on one side he remarked: "Poor Pink-rose, does she not
realize that keeping Blue Dragon-fly to herself will never really make her
happy? I will go over at once, have a quiet talk with her, and show her a better
way." So, kissing his little mate, and telling her where he was going,
Love-bird flew off.
"At last, I have found the right one," beamed the Moon
breathing a great sigh of relief.
When Love-bird reached Pink-rose, he could hear Honey-bee as she
talked, buzzed, and threatened Pink-rose; but the more noise she made the closer
Pink-rose drew her petals together and refused to listen. Finally, Honey-bee
turned to the Moon, saying in a disgusted voice: "I have done all I can to
make Pink-rose listen to me. If I cannot do anything with her, no one else can,
so I think you are foolish to waste any more time trying to save Blue
Dragon-fly. Anyway, I have other matters to attend to, so good-bye," and
she sailed away.
"Good-bye," said the Moon. "I hope Mother Nature
does not see you," she added thoughtfully.
Love-bird perched on a branch near Pink-rose and began cooing
softly, After a few minutes, Pink-rose unfolded her petals a bit, and sent a
waft of perfume to him, by way of a friendly greeting. Love-bird took no notice,
but went on quietly cooing. He seemed to have a magic power, for Pink- rose
gently opened her petals saying: "How charming you are, little bird; your
singing is very soothing. I cannot understand what you are saying but I am sure
it is something wonderful."
"Yes, love is always wonderful," gently replied
Love-bird.
"Love? What do you know about it?" asked Pink-rose in
a dejected voice.
"A great deal, and it makes me very happy," Love-bird
answered, coming a little closer.
Pink-rose gave a deep sigh and whispered sadly: "I, too,
was very happy before I loved Blue Dragon-fly. I locked him up in my heart,
because I was afraid someone would take him from me, and since then I have been
very unhappy." Pink-rose gave another sigh and two dewdrops fell from her
eyes.
"My dear," said Love-bird, "the reason you are so
unhappy is because you have tried to keep Blue Dragon-fly all to yourself. That
is a very selfish thing to do; and you know selfishness will rob you of your
beauty, and you will become bad-tempered, withered, and have no more delightful
perfume to send to your admirers. Then Blue Dragon-fly will leave you.
"If you will take my advice, my dear, send Blue Dragon-fly
back to her work; for we must all help to keep our garden beautiful. While he is
away, send out your sweetest perfume, and you will grow more charming, for that
is the work Mother Nature has planned for you. Then Blue Dragon-fly will come
back. When he sees how busy you have been, how well you have done your work he
will love you more than ever."
"Can that be true?" Pink-rose whispered hopefully.
"Yes, it is very true," smiled Love-bird. "And
now that you know the secret of happiness, and how to keep your beauty, I must
bid you good-bye, Pink-rose," and Love-bird flew away.
As Pink-rose watched Love-bird disappear over the tree-tops, a
radiant light shone in her face. Then unfolding her petals very gently, she let
the cool night air lightly touch her little lover. After a moment she whispered
tenderly, "Blue Dragon-fly, it is time to go to your work."
"Dear me," said Blue Dragon-fly drowsily, "I
suppose it is. Do you know, Pink-rose, I really believe you must have some magic
power, for I have never had a more refreshing sleep." With an admiring
glance, he added: "I wonder if you know how lovely you look in the
moonlight, or how very sweet your perfume is? When I have finished my work, I
should like to come back and see you again, if I may, Pink-rose."
Pink-rose was so happy that she did not even hear Breezie as he
came puffing along. Finally he blew into her face, saying: "Perhaps you are
the rose, my beauty, who has locked Blue Dragon-fly in her heart, and will not
let him go to his work. Do you realize what, a wrong thing that is to do?"
continued Breezie giving Pink-rose a gentle shake.
"I did not realize how wrong it was, until someone showed
me a better way," answered Pink-rose quietly. "Then l let him
go."
Breezie twisted and turned, working himself into a terrible fury
as he roared: "There, I have been fooled again. Now I will play the very
mischief!" and he blew away.
As Pink-rose watched Breezie going off in such a temper, she
sent her sweetest perfume to him, and with a wise look she smiled to herself
saying: "I hope Love-bird pays you a visit before long, "Breezie. I am
sure it would do you a world of good."
No sooner had Breezie disappeared, than up flew Brown Owl and
settled himself on a nearby tree. Turning his mournful eyes upon Pink-rose, he
announced solemnly; "Pink-rose, I hear that you have broken a garden law,
by keeping Blue Dragon-fly from his work, and after much careful thought I..
"I am sure what you are about to say is very wise, Garden
Lawyer, "interrupted Pink-rose sweetly, "but you are too late.
Love-bird has been here ahead of you. He told me the right thing to do, in a
kind and beautiful way, so I have released Blue Dragon-fly, that he may go to
his work."
Brown Owl blinked his yellow eyes in a bewildered way, and after
taking time to think over Pink-rose's reply, he remarked in a dejected voice:
"All my careful thinking is wasted. Whoo to you." And he flapped
heavily back home wondering why it was that someone always got ahead of him.
Pink-rose could not help feeling a little sorry for Brown Owl.
"It does seem too bad that all Lawyer Owl's thinking should be of no
use," she added with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes.
Then she looked up at the Moon and sent a waft of sweetest
perfume to her as she whispered: "I have kept you busy, Madam Moon, but I
do not feel badly about it. I know that you always enjoy making lovers happy, so
you also have had your enjoyment out of trying to help us."
With a merry twinkle in her eyes the Moon replied: "You are
right, my dear, but remember: keep busy yourself, and you will keep your beauty.
So good-night, little Pink-rose."
With a broad smile on her round placid face the Moon disappeared
behind the tallest tree in the old garden.